The Gabbay Training

The Ba’al Koreh Training

In November 2014 the first Ba’al Koreh training of the Levisson Institute started, existing of four modules: Torah, Haftarah, High Holidays and Megillat Esther. One can take part in one or more modules and the training is meant both for those who want to learn it from the start as those who want to learn it better.

The Rabbinic Program

The training of Rabbis at the internationally required academic and professional level is the first priority of the Institute. Rabbis are the prime keepers and carriers of the chain of tradition and they are the first responsible for transmitting this heritage to future generations in an authentic and contemporary manner.

Welcome to the Levisson Institute website

Who are we?

The Institute was established in 2002 in order to train rabbis, chazzanim, teachers and knowledgeable leadership for the Dutch-Jewish community, in particular for the Liberal Jewish part thereof. The Robert A. Levisson Foundation which runs the Institute is part of the Netherlands Union for Progressive Judaism.

The first five students received their semicha (Rabbinic Ordination) on 27 August 2008, having completed their five year long training. The semicha has been granted international recognition.

On 1 September 2012 the sixth Rabbi was ordained. On May 18 2014 the seventh Rabbi received her semicha.Read more...

In October 2013 the new Rabbinical training program started, this time, however, with only one student. Read more about her here.

The first group of 15 chazzanim completed their two-year training on 31 May 2009. Read more...

In June 2010 our first two-year Teacher Training got off to a good start with 14 students.

This was completed on 1 July 2012. Read more...In the summer of 2013, the Robert A. Levisson Foundation took over the Dutch Progressive-Jewish Educational Centre 'Rimon' from the Sja'ar Foundation. Read more …

Our second Teacher Training in the fall of 2013 with 13 students, was again organised together with Rimon.

For the first time, the Levisson Institute has organised a gabbai training course. Forty people from the whole country participated. Read more (in Dutch) ….

In November 2010 our first scholarly research and publishing project began. Read more... All information about the organisation, the lecturers, the students, the curriculum, all Annual Reports and much more can be found by following the menu above. There you will also find information how you may participate in this exciting struggle to rebuild Jewish life in the Netherlands after the Shoah and to give the community a future by contributing financially and morally to the Foundation.

For more information or if you wish to follow a training, please take up contact directly with the dean rabbi Menno ten Brink: +31-20-5400136 or our Director mrs. Francine Püttmann: +31-20-5400133 or use the form on the Contact page.

We hope you will enjoy browsing through the site and reading the materials.